This invention relates to the art of lifting apparatus, and more particularly to a new and improved apparatus for lifting an elongated element in a guided and equalized manner relative to a planar supporting surface.
One area of use of the present invention is in cutting sheet material such as cloth, although the principles of the invention can be variously applied. In cutting special orders and short lays of cloth, the sheet material is drawn from a supply such as a roll along a cutting table, the desired length is cut, the next section is drawn along the table and cut, and this procedure is repeated until the required number of pieces of material have been cut to the same measurement and stacked up. The cutting machine is guided in a direction across the table by a track member which is in the form of an elongated bar having a guide slot therealong, and during such procedures a cloth alignment bar also can be used to measure the length and width of the cloth to the exact cutting specifications and to secure the cloth at the far end of the stack. As each piece is cut, in order to accomodate stacking of the pieces, it is necessary to lift the track member and also to lift the cloth alignment bar when it is used and then to return them into contact with the corresponding edge of the stack.
Accordingly, it would be highly desirable to provide a lifting mechanism for cloth cutting tracks and cloth alignment bars which is easy to use and effectively lifts and returns the structures in a guided and equalized manner.